


No Name

by Zer0PM



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: And lowkey the best, Dante is a flirt, Dubious Companions, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Griffon likes Reader, Mutual Pining, Nero is the only sane man, Nico is a terrible driver, Romance, Shadow is a big cat, Slow Burn, Suggestive Themes, The sexy kind, V is just as bad, hard decisions, inner conflict, woops almost forgot that tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-02-07 09:02:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18617446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zer0PM/pseuds/Zer0PM
Summary: The reader is a former devil hunter who was living alone comfortably until she comes across a mysterious and quite naked tattooed man. Driven by her innate desire to help others and her curiosity of the man, she not only dresses him but helps him in his goals to defeat what he describes to her as a powerful evil.





	1. No Name

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184477771334/no-name
> 
> Go there for the gifs of a very delicious-looking man :3

“Look what we got here, boys!”

_Here we go…_

You braced yourself for what you presumed to be a small group of unlucky bastards thinking they have cornered a meekly prey in the middle of the night. Your hand brushes across the steel cylinder attached to your belt and you warily twist your head towards the voices. Much to your surprise, the man that was speaking nor his men didn’t acknowledge you at all. Rather, their eyes were on another hapless wanderer.

_A very **naked** , hapless wanderer._

Why do the freaks always come out at night? You were telling yourself that you should just keep walking, to mind your own business, and go home - but by the looks of it, the man was unarmed and that alone made you sneak closer to them, careful to make sure that you were not seen. The naked man was tall and lanky, with dark hair and equally dark tattoos printed all across his body.

You half-expected the man to be a drunk of sort, or a poor guy that was pranked by his friends or enemies. Yet the expression on his face did not show that he suffered any sort of foul play. If anything, the man seemed rather calm. Eerily so.

???: “May I…help you, gentlemen?”

The group of men chortled unnattractively amongst themselves at the question. The gruff one and easily the biggest of them all spoke, you recognize the voice as the man that called out.

Gruff man: “Help us? You’re the one that looks like ‘e needs helpin’!”

???: “Oh? Is that right?”

Gruff man: “Kid! You’re fuckin’ naked in the middle of the streets! What happen’d? Friends pull a fast one on ya?”

???: “It is good to know that you’re capable of pointing out the obvious.”

You roll your eyes.

_Big mistake._

And just as you predicted, the gruff man growled. A look of anger and annoyance on his face.

Gruff man: “Now you watch your mouth before we start painting red all over those tatts of yours.”

The naked man appeared unfazed by this.

???: “You may try.”

As quickly as these words passed his lips, the gruff man unsheathed his pocket knife with a click. His burly friends following suit. Your instincts kicking in, you stand from your spot to rush over and help the tattooed fool when the unexpected happened. As soon as the gruff man started charging towards the naked man, a black panther emerges from the darkness at his feet nearly pouncing atop the former. Taken by surprise, the larger man fell on his ass in fright, visibly shaking at the sight of the predatory creature prowling towards him with a ravenous snarl. The cat-like thing had red, glowing marks across its black body. _That’s not something you see everyday._

You: “Is that-!?”

“That’s a fuckin’ demon!”

“He summoned that thing!”

“The hell is this freak!?”

The man on the floor was quick to rise at his feet, wary of the panther demon. Without taking his eyes off it, he shouts at his men.

Gruff man: “What the hell are you guys doin’? It’s just a fuckin’ cat! Kill it and the kid!”

???: “Hmph. _So hungry for death_.”

The way the tattooed man said that sent chills down your spine. You were not uncertain to even announce yourself at this point if the guy, although strange, was capable of such supernatural feats. With a smooth, swift motion, the mysterious man lifts his arm and snaps.

The sound resonates in the air around you all and just as the last echoes fade into silence, a great light manifests suddenly in the air above. The offending group of men look up in horror to see what can only look like a meteor heading right towards them. In their panic, they all quickly move out of the way and were knocked right onto the ground from the shock of the large meteor’s impact. Although you were a safe distance away, you felt the tremors of the impact, forced to steady yourself on your feat at the powerful shake.

What you saw next, you couldn’t believe. From the rubble, a black puddle pulsed and squirmed. It was moving! The thing was forming to take shape and you stood in awe as it took form of what you could only describe as a giant golem. This guy can summon two demons?! You look at the man in question and saw that the tattoos that littered his entire body were gone from his skin, making him truly bear and the black was gone from his hair, replaced by a pure white hue. He walks around the golem to approach the group of men that threatened, they were now shaking in fright. As the mysterious man lowers his hand from his initial snap, something begins to manifest itself in his hand.

_A silver cane now? What is going on??_

The man eyes the cane in his hand curiously. Apparently that part is new to him too.

???: “How interesting. Since my awakening, I have yet to actually test the limits of my power.”

He lifts his eyes from the cane to glare directly at the men who were still on the ground before him. There was something deathly in that hooded gaze.

???: “Shall we test this out?”

He points the sharp end of the cane towards the men. As he did this, the black panther appears again right in front of them, roaring at them ferociously while the golem demon’s eyes begins to glow ominously bright like a star ready to burst. Afraid for their lives, the men quickly got back on their feet and run away. You were pretty certain you heard some crying in the distance.

The mysterious man chuckles lightly before lowering his cane. As he did this, the golem and the panther begin to…well, from the looks of it, melt into the ground like black puddles. The puddle starts to evaporate into glowing dust and the tattoos return to the man’s skin, his hair reverting back to its only color. You took this as a sign to approach the man. He doesn’t turn to you, but his voice catches you off-guard.

???: “You’ve been watching this entire time.”

You: “Sorry. You look like you had it handled, though.”

???: “Hm.”

The mysterious man faces you and you were taken aback. From afar, you didn’t think much of him, but up-close, despite how dark it was in the night around you, the guy was surprisingly handsome. His had a youthful face with strong features complimented by soft green eyes and pouty lips. The way that his lengthy dark hair swooped across his right eye added to his enigmatic aura and his attractiveness.

He was looking you over thoroughly as well, you noted that he skimmed your form twice before settling upon your face.

???: “And you are?”

You introduced yourself. The mysterious man repeats your name on his lips. The sound, you felt, would forever be ingrained in your mind. He sure had a nice voice. When he didn’t say anything further, you shifted on your feet.

You: “What about you? What’s your name?”

There was a considerable pause between you two. He looks down at the ground as if searching for the answer somewhere on the asphalt before lifting his head once more to engage.

???: “I have no name.”

You waited a bit, checking to see if he was playing with you like he did with the men that tried to attack him. When he didn’t say or do anything after, you knew the truth. The man was serious. With a sigh, you peel off the long-sleeve jacket from your shoulders and offered it to him. The mysterious man seemed taken aback by this and eyes you warily. In turn, you softly smiled at him.

You: “Well, **No Name**. I don’t live too far from here. Let’s go get some pants on you, shall we?”

You have expected him to scoff at you and walk away in all his naked glory as much as the image of that enticed you, but instead, he surprises you for the umpteenth time that night by graciously taking the jacket from your hand, his fingers lightly brushing against your knuckles before moving to wrap the article of clothing around his waist. It was still very obvious that he was naked but at least he covered his modesty. Somewhat. He offers you a grin. A smile different from the twisted one he wore earlier. This one was genuine.

No Name: “By all means, lead the way.”


	2. Table Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The reader brings the mysterious man back home with her. As she tries to find him some clothes, she asks questions about him. It seems with each answer he offers her, the more mysterious he appears._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184518822294/no-name-part-2

You had a strange man in your home. A strange man you invited. A strange man who up until now was as naked as the day he was born.

_The mysterious **No Name**._

After finding him on the streets, witnessing him scaring away some undesirables, you took him back to your place and offered him shelter…along with some clothes. You had a cozy little house atop a hill right at the edge of the city, isolated where you knew you wouldn’t be disturbed. It may seem unwise considering that the man you volunteered to help was a walking enigma and apparently capable of summoning demons at will, but you had faith in your own skills to watch out for yourself. Plus, the man didn’t seem like a threat to you despite the evidence that suggested otherwise, proven by his silent yet courteous demeanor as you two walked together. You can tell that he was considerate in keeping his distance from your person so as not to frighten you. Then again, the man hardly spoke much at all as you went along, but it didn’t feel awkward.

You were now preparing food for your new guest and then some, hearing the slight shuffling from within the restroom next to your kitchen.

You: “How are you coming along, No Name?”

No Name: “Well enough.”

By the sound of the door opening and footsteps approaching, you turn to look him over. You were relieved that the mysterious man finally had some clothes on his back. Not that he isn’t good-looking, you admit that he most certainly is, but you didn’t think you can handle engaging him in his bare state. He wore black sweats and a shortsleeve v-cut shirt that showed the impressive tattoos on his long arms as well as a bit of the printed ink on his neck and collarbone. You gathered then that the man preferred dark colors. When he made his way across the kitchen towards the small dining table you noticed the clothes were sagging a bit, revealing a bit of his skin here and there. The man subtly tries to adjust the shirt and you could not help but giggle.

You: “Sorry, they’re a little big on you.”

No Name: “It is fine. I gather your _lover_ would not mind me borrowing his clothing for the night?”

You nearly dropped the plates when he said this, a blush creeping on your cheeks in embarrassment.

You: “A-Ah, no, no! I don’t have a boyfriend. They belonged to a friend that forgot them and never bothered to get them back.”

 _Your idiot friend…_ To this day, you were still annoyed with that particular part of your past but did not wish to bring it up if your guess didn’t ask. _No Name_ , still so weird to refer to him as such, raises his brow curiously.

No Name: “You live here by yourself, then?”

You: “I do.”

No Name: “Hm.”

He takes a moment to take in his surroundings. His eyes skimming over the furnishings of your kitchen. You didn’t have the fanciest home in Red Grave city, but you kept it clean and maintained.

No Name: “You have a nice home.”

You laugh lightly at his attempt to be polite.

You: “Ha, thanks.”

You finish putting the food together and gather the plates in your hands before walking over to the table. One plate is set in front of No Name; the other, across from him where you would be sitting; and the last, on the tiled floor next to the table. He seemed confused at this.

You: “For your cat friend. I don’t know if it eats.”

Realization in his eyes, the man extends his arm outwards and from the ink on his exposed skin, particles of black burst forth and took shape, morphing into the familiar feline-like demon from before. The creature glances around, it appears to be searching for threats and looked puzzled when it found none.

No Name silently pats the demon on its head before pointing down at the offered food you placed before it. It nuzzles into its master’s hand then lies on its belly, dipping its head towards the plate and digging in graciously. You smile at hearing the sound of light purring from the demon panther. Pulling back your chair, you took your seat across from No Name who nodded to you.

No Name: “My thanks.”

You: “It’s nothing. Sorry, I wasn’t sure if the…the other one eats too. The rock thing.”

No Name: “Ah, that one. No.”

The man lays the back of his hand against the tabletop, his palm open upwards. Purple smoke and dusts of light gather in his hand before a small form begins to take shape. You recognize it immediately, the frightening golem, only this time it is significantly smaller. You would have mistaken it for a toy had it not started moving on its own, taking tiny steps atop the wooden surface. It was both fascinating and… _kind of cute._

You carefully offer a finger towards the pint-sized demon and the creature looks upon it with its single eye. It stretches out one of its arms, touching the tip of your finger. The demon possessed surprising strength despite its size as you felt your finger move up and down in sync with its arm. _It was shaking hands with you!_

You: “Wow!”

No Name, who was watching your interaction, smiled slightly.

No Name: “It likes you.”

You: “You can tell?”

No Name: “No, but call it a _feeling_.”

???: “Hey, hey! Where’s my meal? Rude!”

The sudden sound of a loud, unfamiliar voice nearly made you jump out of your seat. Seemingly from thin air, a large blue bird appears in your kitchen. Like the panther and the golem demon, the avian creature looked imposing with glowing eyes and sharp claws and teeth.

You: “What is **that** now?!”

???: “What does it look like, dollface? I’m a demon, one of pretty boy’s familiars. The brains of our little group. Although, if you ask me personally, I’m more like his **partner-in-crime**. _Ekekeke!_ So don’t go calling me his pet! Got it?”

The mouth on this one! You can see No Name pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed shut. It appears the man was dreading for this one to present itself and you figured that the demon did not come out by his choice.

No Name: “You’ll have to excuse Griffon. When it comes to conversation, he lacks tact.”

The feathery demon flaps his indigo wings in offense and retaliates by snatching his master’s plate in his talons before flying off to the far side of the kitchen much to your protest. Griffon, as your guest calls him, sets the food down, chuckling mischievously before devouring the food voraciously. You can hear the unattractive sound of his tongue swiping along his beak.

Griffon: “ _Mmm, mmm!_ That’s good shit!”

You: “Uhh….thanks?”

Admittedly, you were dumbfounded. _How many demons does this guy have?!_ You have met talking demons before, but they looked… _human_. This was your first encounter with one that didn’t look like one, sparking your curiosity and wary. You glance over at the tattooed gentleman.

You: “Are **you** a demon?”

No Name: “…No.”

The mouthy bird snorts.

Griffon: “This guy? Nah, too much of a sissy to be a demon. Hell, I even bet my feathers that you can flip him over the table in a fight. Hahaha!”

You: “Uhh, that’s okay. I’ll pass on people-flipping today.”

The bird demon cackles humorously. You see that the panther demon curled itself into a ball next to No Name’s feet and the small rock-like demon was climbing up its masters arm, settling itself on his shoulder. No Name didn’t seem to mind this one bit, nor did he seem annoyed by his food being absconded away. Throwing caution to the wind, you figured now was a good a time as any for questions.

You: “So you’re a human that can summon demons?”

No Name: “Correct.”

You: “ _That’s not possible_. How does that work?”

You almost bit your tongue, but No Name did not seem to notice this. He seems to ponder this considerably.

No Name: “It’s…complicated.”

You: “ _Complicated_ , how?”

Griffon: “Sheesh! The beak on this one.”

With a burp, the blue bird flies back over to the table, landing between you and No Name. His beady eyes leering at you as if trying to use his stare to pierce you. He stretches his feathery neck, lunging his head forward, invading your personal space. You can still see remnants of your cooking on its protruding teeth.

Griffon: “Listen, sweetie. As much as we’d like to regale you with our epic tale, we got other things to worry about. No offense, thanks for the food and looking out for the guy, but trust me when I say, _the less you know, the better._ ”

No Name suddenly grabs the neck of his avian familiar and pulls him away from you.

No Name: “Griffon, be nice to our host.”

With a warning squeeze, the man releases the bird and the bird stretches out his neck from the pain, mumbling an apology under his breath that you almost missed.

You: “You **do** have a story, then?”

No Name: “ _Story?_ ”

You: “Yeah. Aside from the whole demon-summoning thing, there’s no way you left wherever you came from…well…”

No Name: “ _Naked?_ ”

You: “Y-Yeah.”

For some reason when he said this, a slight blush burned its way to your cheeks. It’s not like you’re a virgin, but you were trying your hardest not to focus on the image of his bare form again. Griffon must have caught sight of your expression as he whistled teasingly. You’re not sure how he did that. No Name spares another warning glance to his avian companion before answering.

No Name: “The truth of the matter is: _I did._ ”

You: “…Why?”

No Name: “It…just turned out that way.”

That’s another rather vague and very hard to believe answer, but by the tone of his voice, you can tell there was some truth in his words. You knew the tattooed man was having a bit of difficulty trying to explain himself. His feathery friend didn’t seem prone to clarify for him either which didn’t help you much at all. He had no reason to tell you anything really, but the fact that he was speaking to you at all spoke volumes of how amicable he was with you. Still, curiosity was nagging your mind. _Were they not talking because they were trying to be considerate? Or did they have malicious intent to hide?_ They didn’t seem like a bad group, you can tell. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have let No Name in. You shook your head. You really have to think of a better name for this guy.

You: “Sooo…you were wandering the streets looking for, what, the nearest clothing store?”

This earned a chuckle from the man. The raspy sound of the laugh in his throat sent vibrations down your spine.

No Name: “It was on my list of things to do. Pardon me for my _lack of modesty_ at the time. It is a sight no lady should need to suffer.”

 _Beg to differ._ You snorted unintentionally. _He’s really sticking with the whole eloquent, mysterious gentleman schtick._ It was endearing. Different. And it caught you off-guard.

You: “I’m not a lady.”

He looks up at you from his hooded eyes, a ghost of a smirk on the edge of his plump lips.

No Name: “Quite the contrary. You are every bit as such. And a fine one at that.”

The blush you had earlier has returned and grew hotter, rendering you unsure of how to respond. You settled with looking down at your plate and realized that he never had a chance to bite into his food before Griffon stole it from him. Playing the good hostess, you push your plate towards him, the man seemed taken aback by your gesture.

You: “I’m not that hungry. Figured I should get your room ready, anyways.”

No Name: “You’re letting me stay the night?”

The dubious tone in his voice caught the attention of companions. The bird nearly choked, the panther seemed to have woken up from its cat nap to glance up at you, and the little rock monster nearly fell from where it perched although the last one was mostly due to No Name’s sudden movement in sitting straight.

You: “Well, yeah. I invited you, it’s too late and dangerous outside right now to kick you out what with the demons running about.”

Although it was true, you knew that this man was more than capable of looking after his own given that he has three demons under his command. But he was interesting and he seemed kind and, dare you say, even lost. That alone compelled you to welcome him in.

He was gazing into your eyes intensely, searching for any foul play hidden within them and you met his stare in turn. No Name had such beautiful green eyes. It was almost unfair and you were not sure if you would have been able to look into them any longer without embarrassing yourself further. Luckily, he dropped his gaze from yours, breaking your waning daze. You felt your heartbeat slowing, not realizing that it had picked up so quickly.

No Name: “It seems my debt to you grows. You have my-”

He spares a glance over his familiars who each waited for him to continue, a silent acknowledgement between them.

No Name: “- _our_ deepest gratitude.”

Moved by the sincerity in his voice, you smiled at him.

You: “It’s no problem.”

With that, you rise to stand from your seat and moved to prepare the guest room but a firm hold on your wrist stops you. Taken by surprise, it is the tattooed man whose long fingers wrapped around your wrist. His grip wasn’t tight, but it alarmed you all the same as it was the first real physical contact between you two aside from when his skin brushed against yours when you offered him your jacket earlier. His skin was unbelievably warm and you felt the heat crawling up your arm, caressing your neck. No Name seems to have realized the sudden invasion on your person and withdrew his hand from you, clearing his throat to divert attention away from what he did.

No Name: “The portions are too much for me. “ _Not that hungry_ ” suggests there is _some hunger_. Do not starve yourself on my behalf. We can share.”

He wasn’t looking at you as he said this but you swore you could see a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks. You were considering telling him that it was alright but your stomach chose that moment to betray you by releasing a loud rumbling sound.

You: “W-Well, since you offered!”

You quickly return to your seat and pick up your utensils, scooping a good amount onto your fork. You take a bite. As you were chewing, you remembered something and felt yourself blushing furiously for the umpteenth time.

You: “Ah, damn! Let me get you another plate.”

He stops you again, this time not holding you to stay with his touch but instead he picks up his own fork and knife, cutting into the food and raising a small portion to his lips. No Name bites into his food, chewing graciously. His mouth was closed so you can see the way that his lips and jaw moved as he ate, the way the apple of his throat dipped as he swallowed. You found yourself gulping at the sight.

No Name: “This is delicious.”

He continues to eat from his side of the plate. This time, you did bother to hide your staring. You observed him. Intently. You do not know this man. This stranger. But you invited him into your home. And shared with him your food. Gave him clothes. He had a story, one he was not willing to tell. He was a stranger. _And he was dangerous._ Yet you found yourself curious about him all the same. You followed his example and digged into the food. It tasted better than you thought even though you’ve always made this particular dish the same way. As you two were eating together silently, not once did you notice that his three familiars returned to him in ink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long chapter. This is a different take for me as I’m used to writing one-shots and fics where the attraction and relationship between characters are already established. To build up to that is a challenge, but hope that you find pleasure in the few and subtle warm moments, nonetheless :) Next part should be when you call finally him V 🙏🏻 I hope y’all are having a wonderful day!


	3. A Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The reader wakes up the next morning to find that her new acquaintance has left. Choosing to go on throughout her day, she didn’t expect to see him again so soon. Their paths cross again but under strange circumstances._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184534829314/no-name-3

You awaken to the scent of something savory wafting in the air. The lids of your eyes blink repeatedly before you found the strength to open them completely. With a yawn you stretch out the kinks of your tense muscles and rub away the sleep from your eyes. A moment passes for you to gather your thoughts.

You: “….Ah!”

_No Name!_

With a swiftness you didn’t think you had, you leapt from your bed, not bothering with making it and dash out to the kitchen. After dinner the night before, you showed your mysterious guest to his room. You wanted to learn more about him, to talk to him more but was too tired to hold a conversation for much longer. The man must have noticed your drowsiness too as he bade you goodnight, slipping in another word of thanks before shutting the door behind him. As soon as you reached your own room, you passed out on your bed, welcoming sweet slumber. You wonder how he slept.  
As soon as you reached the kitchen, you found there was no one in sight. On the dining table across the room, your eyes spotted a plate of a most delectable-looking breakfast and a note next to it. You picked up the note although you already had an idea of what it said.

_‘Thank you for your hospitality. You were not what I expected when I came to this city, but I am glad to have crossed your path. When next we meet, I will repay my debt to you. Until then, enjoy.’_

There was no name on it and it almost made you laugh at the thought. You would have liked to at least helped him think of one before he left and hoped that you two really did meet again so that you can do just that. You glanced out your window. Judging by how bright it is outside, you figured it was close to noon now which meant that you slept through most of the morning. Your attention then turns to the breakfast laid out before you. You had no idea that the man can cook and by the looks of it, he can cook very well. Your mouth was practically watering at the sight.

You: “Thanks, No Name…”

You took a little longer than necessary to finish the food, savoring each and every bite at a blissful pace. As soon as you were done, you took a shower and got dressed to stay in and relax for the day. You’ve led an awfully peaceful life after retiring from the devil hunting business. Although demons continued to walk the streets of the city, there were enough hunters to handle them, leaving you the opportunity to take a step back and resign from the job. You were a damn good hunter at the time; the agency you worked for, legendary, but it was time to move on and you had no intention of dying young from a job.

You were lounging on one of the sofas in your living room, reading a book when the phone on your side table began to ring obnoxiously. Curious as you do not often get calls unless it is from a _certain someone_ , you pick up the line.

Maybe it’s _No Name_. You dashed the thought immediately. Your number wasn’t in the books so there was no way. A moment of hope washes away and is replaced with an almost dreading feeling in the pit of your stomach.

You: “Hello?”

???: “Well, I’ll be damned. I didn’t think you would answer.”

You: “ _Morrison_?”

You set you book aside and sat up straight in your chair. This was a voice you didn’t expect to hear.

Morrison: “The one and only. Who did you expect, little lady?”

You: “A certain idiot with an awful habit of being a perpetual idiot, putting all idiots to shame.”

Morrison: “ _Ooo-whee!_ Still sore about that job, I see.”

You: “What do you want? If you’re calling for hi-”

Morrison: “I’m not. Or at least, not really. I’m calling for a client.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose and sighed.

You: “That’s not my life anymore, Morrison.”

Morrison: “Darlin’, who are ya kiddin’? You may not hold the title anymore, but killing demons, that’s in your blood.”

 _This man…_ As pushy as he is with his words, he knew exactly what to say to you. You glance over at your side table, eyeing the silver cylinder standing upright atop the smooth surface. A flood of memories begin rushing back to your mind and you shook your head.

You: “Why did the client choose me?”

There was a pause, you can practically hear the broker rub his neck on the other line.

Morrison: “That’s the thing. He didn’t. He asked for **him**. But given the details of this job, _our boy_ is gonna need all the help he can get.”

You: “ _All the help_? As in-”

Morrison: “Them two _crazy bitches_ are already on their way.”

This was serious. You knew that Morrison was aware of how much he hated getting help, preferring to tackle on all sorts of gigs solo. It was one of his more endearing traits and it drove you mad. _Idiot…what the hell is being thrown your way this time?_ The sound of the broker’s voice brought you out of your reverie.

Morrison: “So? What do you say? The man’ll be happy to see you.”

Your eyes wander over to the window, orange and red of varying shades making way for purple to cast its shadow. Night was coming already.

You: “I’ll be right there. Do me a favor. _Don’t tell him._ We’ll keep it a surprise.”

A chuckles rumbles on the other side of the line.

Morrison: “See you soon, little lady.”

With that, you placed your phone back on the receiver and made your way to your closet, grabbing together your gear and signature leather jacket. As soon as your hand touched the jacket, your mind goes back to when you had offered it to No Name. Recalling how it wrapped around his slender waist. Before you got lost in your thoughts again, you snap yourself back to the present and pocketed the silver cylinder safety on your belt pouch. You locked up the place and walked on foot in stride towards downtown. It wouldn’t take you too long to get there, but you would take your time. Afterall, it’s been awhile since you’ve see the old place. You wondered if it changed much at all since you left. Probably not.

You: “If I know **you** , you probably didn’t even pay the month’s rent.”

You chuckled half-heartedly at the very realistic scenario. And yet your mind wanders to the mysterious and charming tattooed gentleman and his three demon companions. You wonder how they’re doing and set the thought aside to focus on your path. His note suggested that he intended to see you again, something you would have wholeheartedly welcomed to happen. But with this job Morrison dropped on you, perhaps it’s a good thing that you don’t encounter any distractions any time soon. Business first, afterall.

You were approaching the last place you thought you’d get to see again, a slight bubbling in your core at the memory of you swearing that you wouldn’t come back. Yet here you are. The neon lights above the office wasn’t illuminated. _Yep, he didn’t pay rent._

Morrison: “The old girl will be up and operating in no time.”

Swiftly, you turn to meet the familiar broker. A moment of fond elation fills you.

You: “Morrison, you bastard.”

You walk over greet him and the man shakes your hand firmly before pulling you into a one-armed hug.

Morrison: “It’s good to see you again. You look…”

You: “Less stressed?”

Morrison: “I was going to say “good”, but that works just as well.”

You laugh.

You: “Is _he_ in there?”

Morrison: “Sitting in the dark all by his lonesome, I wager. You know how it is.”

You: “ _Unfortunately._ So-”

Your hands clap together, the sound of your leather gloves indicate that you wanted to get right down to business.

You: “Where is this client that’s got a job so important, you pulled me out of my relaxation time?”

The man laughs heartily.

Morrison: “Oh, brace yourself, baby girl. This one’s a character, but woot, ain’t he the real deal.”

He turns, waving over at someone who apparently was a bit of a ways away. It was so dark and there were hardly any lights save for the streetlamp overhead that lit the part of the street you stood on. As the shadowy figure approached you both, his image coming under light, your heart dropped.

_Oh boy…_

Morrison: “Meet V. A devil hunter, just like you. Oh, I mean like _you were_.”

You: “ **V**?”

The sound of your voice made the tattooed man glance up. Apparently he wasn’t paying you any attention, gathering he didn’t know who you were until his eyes met yours. Those familiar green eyes widened as they took you in. It was apparent that neither of you thought that you would see each other again so soon.

You: “….Hi.”

V: “…We meet again.”

_Little did you know, things were about to get real interesting, real quick._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little shorter, but wanted to throw in a little more insight on the reader and her past. I’ve mentioned before that you’re a devil hunter and a damn good one at that, and it is a portrayal that I hope to delineate justly so that you can enjoy walking in this story as it goes along.


	4. Ladies First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _With a proper name and some clothes to his person, you reunite with V and your old friend Morrison to recruit a certain devil hunter for what the broker deems to be the biggest job imaginable. You knew who you all came to see and were not looking forward to that meeting._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184594462004/pairing-v-x-femreader-with-a-proper-name-and

_No Name-_

No.

 **V**.

You: “You changed clothes.”

The man looks down at himself briefly. Yesterday you furnished him with a simple pair of sweats and a shirt. They were loose on him, so to see him in something else that fitted him, and rather nicely at that, took you by surprise. The style of the clothing themselves on the other hand, you didn’t expect him to wear.

He donned on a long, sleeveless leather coat with the seams held together by corded laces sewed it tied together at the ends. You can see the laces hanging loosely at the ends of the coat, accentuating his long figure. The opening of the jacket seems to be attached to a small vest that hardly left much to the imagination and you could not stop your eyes from roaming his exposed chest. The tattoos were just as mesmerizing and impressive as you remembered, like a black river flowing across his skin.

_Say something! Quick!_

You: “What happened to the shirt I gave you?”

You noted how quickly V glanced down at the ground.

V: “I had an unfortunate altercation with another devil hunter who seemed fixated with it. Alas, it did not survive.”

You heard a singular “ _HA_ ” from Morrison on the side.

Morrison: “Some poor guy tried to give V here a hard time at Bobby’s Cellar. V, uh, _re-educated_ him on his manners.”

You: “You got into _another_ fight?”

V: “The man will recover.”

Morrison: “I’m sure he has the means to pay his medical bills. Even gave V a _nice tip_ for being such a good sport.”

You: “YOU MUGGED HIM?!?”

Never would you have seen a man as composed as V look so desperately for a place to hide from your scolding gaze. Morrison stepped in.

Morrison: “Now, now. The man had it coming. Plus, I think what V’s strutting in works for him. Don’t you agree?”

Although you tried to resist, Morrison’s words tempted you to look over V once more. While you disapproved of how he obtained his new attire, you admit that he did indeed look really good. It was an odd assortment of accessories he had on but for some reason, it suited him.

In the end, you sighed and offered V a small smile, pointing towards something shiny hanging off from his pants.

You: “Is that a wallet chain?”

V lifts the end of his coat slightly, revealing exactly what you thought it to be.

V: “Griffon said it tied the whole ensemble nicely.”

At this, you just had to laugh and the image of the blue bird giving his master fashion advice. The sound of a your uplifted voice brought a small chuckle to the tattooed man’s lips. Morrison looked back and forth between the two of you with piqued interest.

Morrison: “Guessing you two have a history.”

You: “Sort of. We just met yesterday.”

The broker hums, as if pondering something before waving the topic off.

Morrison: “Well, ain’t my business. If you two get along, that’ll just make things easier and more likely for **him** to agree to some much needed assistance for this big job we got in our hands.”

You: “You mentioned that on the phone but-”

You turn to V, wanting to ask straight from the source.

You: “What is the job?”

V: “…I will explain inside.”

The smile that V had earlier instantly vanished, the sudden change in expression and tone making you all the more curious. Morrison took this as a sign and tipped his hat.

Morrison: “I’ll go first. Power should be back on any minute so let me butter the man up. Shouldn’t take an angel for this miracle to happen.”

You roll your eyes and shake your head. Morrison opens the doors to the office and disappears into the darkness, leaving you alone with V. After a moment, you decided to speak.

You: “Thank you for the food this morning.”

V: “Oh? Was it to your liking?”

You beam up at him and nod in earnest.

You: “It was delicious. I didn’t take you for a chef.”

He chuckles at your compliment, pushing aside the hair that partially covered his left eye so that he can look at you directly.

V: “Truth be told, neither did I. But I could not leave without showing my gratitude after you so graciously took me in.”

You shrug.

You: “It was nothing. I just sorta wished you didn’t leave so soon.”

This seemed to catch V’s attention wholly.

V: “Is that right? And why is that?”

You: “That’s easy. It’s ‘cause your interesting.”

V: “Would have assumed that most women would have avoided obviously dangerous men entirely.”

You: “I’m not like most women.”

The end of V’s full lips rugs upward slightly. You noted how his eyes scanned over your face slowly.

V: “Indeed.”

You wanted to speak more, but the lights for the building Morrison entered in went on, illuminating the inside. You spot the old juke box and posters through the window. Morrison comes into view, he’s talking to your mutual friend and waves casually. You suddenly felt dreadfully anxious.

You: “That must be our cue.”

V lifts his cane and gesture to the door, he nods at you in a slight bow.

V: “Ladies first.”

 _Always a gentleman this guy._ Any other moment you would have found it endearing, but knowing who was waiting on the other side made you almost sick to your stomach. You don’t know what will happen once you step through those doors but you knew you were not going to like it. _This job better be good…_

Gathering your nerves, you approach the doors, pushed them open and let yourself inside.

 **Devil May Cry**.

It hasn’t changed one bit. Still looked like a mess, newspapers all over the place, dust everywhere. You’re pretty certain no has bothered looking into the wooden supports and the walls in ages. There was even a pizza box on the mahogany desk, that was a nostalgia trip. Speaking of nostalgia-

“Well, well, well. Couldn’t get enough of me after the first time, huh, babe?”

Not even one minute and he was already giving you a migraine. You bury your face into your palm with a groan, glaring at the man who sat so casually at his desk, wearing the most annoying grin that would forever haunt your mind.

You: “Shut up, Dante.”

From his seat, he laughs rubbing the side of his jaw as his icy, blue eyes look you over. That smug grin faltering slightly, but a hint of it lingers as he took you in. _The legendary devil hunter…and your idiot friend._

Dante: “ _I missed you too_.”


	5. Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _V hires the services of the legendary devil hunter for a certain job. A devil hunter you know personally and are loathe to admit it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184685154144/an-part-5-is-here-for-those-that-would-like-to

Being back in _Devil May Cry_ brought back memories. Most admittedly were good, but it takes just one single moment to ruin it all. The legendary devil hunter Dante sat at his desk, exactly as you remembered. Seeing him again like this, it was almost like you hadn’t left. The broker Morrison wore a knowing smile as he looked between you two and began walking back towards the front doors.

Morrison: “I’m gonna leave you all to be acquainted or, in a certain case, _reacquainted_.”

You swear the man winked beneath the tip of his hat and threw him a side-glare for it.

You: “And where do you think you’re heading off to?”

Morrison: “To rev up the copter. You haven’t watched a lot of news, have you?”

 _What is he talking about?_ Before you could ask him to clarify, the man was already out the door, leaving you and Dante alone. There was a tense and uncomfortable silence in the air and Dante disrupts the palpable aura with a deep clearing of his throat.

Dante: “Thought you swore off this place. Called it a _piece of shit._ ”

You: “I was talking about **you** when I said that.”

He laughed, one devoid of humor in contrast to his perpetually confident demeanor. He leans forward in his seat.

Dante: “How long has it been?”

You: “Not long enough.”

Dante: “You honestly can’t **still** be mad about **that**.”

You: “We are **not** doing **this** in front of the client.”

This takes Dante off guard, a look of disappointment evident on his rugged face.

Dante: “...You mean you’re not the one with the gig?”

You: “I wouldn’t offer you a job even if you were kicked out on the streets. Looks like we’ll be working together... _again._ ”

With a harsh huff, you nod your head towards the door. V who followed not too long after you, shut it and leaned against the far wall. He had a book in hand which you’ve never seen before and gathered that he must have picked it up somewhere after he left your place. The man hasn’t said anything since you and Dante started spatting, apparently more focused on reading and secretly hoped that you did not leave a poor impression. Dante sized up the mysterious man, a testy scoff in his throat as he aknowledged him.

You: “Meet your new client, Dante.”

Dante: “...So, this is the guy, then. Mr. Cash Up Front. What’s your name?”

The tattooed man approaches the red hunter, the soft whistle of his cane swinging round in his hand filled the air.

V: “I have no name. I am but two days old.”

He taps his cane down and closes the book he held with a soft pat, a ghost of a smile on his otherwise stoic face.

V: “Just kidding. You can call me V.”

You can practically hear Dante thinking “ _Okay, fake name_.” Still, one cannot deny the fact that V had a drawing presence to him.

Dante: “Okay, _V_... Why don’t you tell me everything about this job?”

V: “A powerful demon is about to resurrect, and we need your help, Dante.”

 _We._ He didn’t say “ _I_ ” as you expected him to. Was he referring to himself and his demon friends, perhaps? Or was he including you into his circle, already deciding that your assistance was needed. You did not know how much Morrison has told V about you and decided to ask him when the opportunity presents itself.

Dante chuckled and stood up from his seat, speaking as he made his way...to sit on the couch on the far wall. _Pick a seat, Dante! Quit trying to look cool!_

Dante: “Now that’s a familiar tune... Do you have any idea how many times I’ve heard that exact same line?”

You: “A lot, apparently.”

At your quip, the hunter winks at you and your eyes roll in annoyance, effectively deflecting his charm. V opens his mouth, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before answering the man.

V: “This is... _special_.”

Dante: “ _Special_? Okay, what’s so **special** about this one?”

Dante’s body language and lax expression suggested that he seemed bored, expecting a monologue of a dangerous enemy that he would inevitably fight and claim victory over. He told you just as much when you two first met, experiencing his arrogance firsthand.

V: “This demon is your... _reason_.”

The tattooed man picks up his cane and paces the room until he was facing a small ways away from Dante, you perched yourself atop of Dante’s desk, listening in on their conversation.

V: “Your reason for fighting.”

 _That’s interesting._ As a former devil hunter, you’ve listened to countless pitches for jobs that proved to be less than what they were made out to be. But this one...this one takes the cake. It seemed Dante was just as curious as you, leaning over to hear V clearly, his complete attention given to the man before him.

Dante: “Does this demon have a name?”

V was completely still for a moment, he didn’t answer immediately but you caught the slight movement of his jaw dropping to allow his lips to form the words.

V: “ **Vergil.** ”

A deafening silence fills the office, neither men have said a word after he revealed the mark. Vergil... That doesn’t sound like the name of a demon... For once, you can see that Dante was visibly stunned.

You: “...Who is Vergi-”

Dante: “Get out.”

He adds your name at the end, not once looking at you yet glaring daggers at V.

You: “Excuse me?”

Dante: “You heard me. Go outside and wait for Morrison. I want a word alone with V.”

You got up from the desk to protest but V raises his hand and looks at you fully. His eyes held a weight to them that you could not shake. Unlike Dante, he was gentler with his request.

V: “It is alright. This is a big job, a lot rides on Dante’s victory over this demon. Should Vergil win-”

Dante: “She doesn’t need to know the gritty details.”

The legendary devil hunter gets up from the leather couch and steps across the space to stand in front of you. He knew from last you two met that you didn’t want him anywhere near you, the fact that he was so close now meant that he was being deadly serious in this situation. And that just made you all the more curious and hungry for answers.

Dante: “You gotta trust me on this one. The less you know, the better.”

 _Those words again..._ V’s demon bird Griffon said the exact same thing to you when you let him and V stay at your home. To hear it again and from Dante no less... That can’t be a coincidence. Choosing not to argue, you complied, making sure not to make it so obvious that you were still fuming from the dismissal with your harsh steps across the floor. Before you past the entrance, you stole another glance at Dante and V. The two men simply looking at each other as if they were in a silent standoff. You don’t know what is going on. But you were determined to find out soon enough. Even then, the anticipation to learn more was nothing compared to what you were about to see next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the dialogue was taken from the dialogue in the game :) It was fun to write despite there not being too many details as I didn’t want to take away from the flow of the scene.
> 
> More insight of the past between the reader and Dante. It’ll be like that for a bit before it shifts purely on V and you. I mean, that’s tattooed snack is what we’re here for, right? ;) Hope you’re enjoying the slow build, nonetheless.


	6. It Grows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The reader along with V and the rest of Dante’s crew approach the Qliphoth, a demon tree that grows in the underworld and has sprouted directly in the middle of Red Grave City._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184732793484/an-thanks-again-to-everyone-that-has-been

_In all of my years, I’ve never seen anything like this._

A gargantuan tree- No. Even that word didn’t feel like it was enough to paint the sheer size of this massive phenomenon. You were straining your neck just trying to look out for the top of it as its girth pierces through the clouds above. From what you can tell, this wasn’t even all of it as it appears its roots dig far below the city.

V: “ _And it grew both day and night, ‘til it bore an apple bright_.”

V, who was beside you the entire way, was reading from his book. You gather that he is a man who prefers poetry over the spectacle that has the passerby around you both look over the tree in awe and anxious anticipation.

You: “What is this thing?”

V: “The Qliphoth. It is a tree that grows in the underworld.”

 _The underworld…_ It is true that demons have found ways to steal themselves into the world of mortals, but to have some of this scale come from that same place, it sent a terrible feeling across your spine.

You: “And how did it spread to here?”

Dante: “Doesn’t matter.”

The both of you turn around to see Dante with two ladies who were following him in tow, the three of them with very large weapons on their backs.

Dante: “We go in. Kill the bastard behind this, get out, tree is gone. Then Imma reward myself with an extra large pizza, end of story.”

You roll your eyes. _There he goes again._ Ever since V revealed the name of the target, Dante has been especially dismissive, hardly speaking a word and even then, it was curt and rude. The man chased you out of the office to speak with V. He was showing the not-so-attractive side of him that you recognized when he meant serious business, but there was something in the way that he acted towards this particular mission that made you wonder about the whole thing. _Who is Vergil? And what is his connection to Dante? What is his connection to V?_ It seems that neither men are pressed to answer that for you, so for now you have set your questions aside. You greet the two women beside Dante. The petite brunette smiles at you while the statuesque blonde nods in acknowledgement.

Dante: “Alright, Mr. Poetry. My backup. As you requested. Meet Trish.”

His thumb points towards the blonde who had her hand on her hip and acknowledged you and V with a curt nod.

Dante: “And Lady. You two have something in common. She has a fake name too.”

The brunette throws a murderous glare at Dante immediately. The look she wore was almost hilarious.

Dante: “And you already know Neff.”

V: “ _Neff_?”

You: “It’s uh…a nickname. From back in my devil hunting days.”

Lady: “She was pretty good at her job. Probably better than Dante.”

Dante: “I heard that.”

The smaller woman giggles, strutting past the group to approach the tree. Trish follows, her arms crossed. As she passes, she turns her head slightly.

Trish: “You look better.”

You: “I feel better.”

Trish: “Good. I hope then that this job will not take us long.”

Without waiting for your answer, Trish continues onward. Dante lingers in front of you and V for a moment, his eyes on you entirely. There is a thin line on his lips in place of where his trademark smirk would usually be, his eyes wincing a tad to a slight glare.

Dante: “You really were good at your job.”

You: “…I know.”

Memories of your time as part of his crew comes back to you and it took every ounce of your willpower to shove it back to the recesses of your mind. What happened back then has long past now and had no bearing to the present. Dante looked like he wanted to say more, his mouth hung open indicating this before shutting it completely. With a grunt, he joins Lady and Trish towards the entrance of the Qliphoth. Now it was just you and V.

V: “I have the impression that there is some unfinished business between you and Dante.”

You: “Nope, business absolutely finished. We just went our separate ways after my last job, is all.”

V: “Separated on _good terms_?”

You: “It ended in a way where, if needed, I can do what needs to be done and he can do what needs to be done and no one would question the integrity of our work.”

Your tone came off a little more harshly than intended, as V was visibly taken aback. He seems to ponder over your words carefully just as well as you tactfully stringed them together. You hoped that it was enough to hint that you didn’t want to talk about it and was grateful that he changed the topic, disarming you with a familiar smile.

V: “It was unexpected, you know, seeing you. I had wished to visit you once more before reaching the tree.”

You: “You said that in your note this morning. I didn’t know if you meant it at the time or was just being polite.”

V: “A bit of both.”

You both share a light laugh between you. It brought you back to yesterday, the night when you two talked for a bit and shared dinner together.

V: “I also didn’t expect you to not only be a devil hunter, but an acqaintance of the devil hunter I was looking to recruit for this arduous task.”

You shrugged.

You: “You didn’t ask. Honestly, didn’t expect to see you so soon too, and employing Dante of all people.”

V: “Yes, suppose the expression “small world” would apply here.”

You: “You can say that again.”

V: “ _Suppose the expression_ -”

You: “V!”

You didn’t mean to, but him teasing you caused you to lightly smack him on the arm, earning from him a mischievously chuckle whose sound spread to your own lips.

You: “ _V…_ It’s so weird calling you that. Where did it even come from?”

The book in his hand closed and he offers it for you to look. On the cover of the hard bound poetry collection he carried was a giant gold “V” in the middle of delicate gold designs.

V: “Gather you can surmise the inspiration.”

You: “Aha, must be a _really_ good read. This design is beautiful.”

A thought came to your mind.

You: “You didn’t mug a guy for this one, did you?”

A light-hearted laugh fills the air around you and it stirred you pleasantly inside knowing that the sound belonged to none other than V.

V: “If you must know, I came across this book legitimately. It belongs to me, I was merely retrieving it.”

You: “That’s what you were doing this morning?”

V: “Among other things.”

You noted how V was lost in his reading in the way to the Qliphoth, speaking only when spoken to. With the way he kept the book on his person and worked the length of each page with those green eyes intently, you knew that the man not only had an affinity for poetry, but the book itself held sentimental value to him.

You: “You should read a few lines to me. Slaying demons isn’t the prettiest of jobs, but…maybe some classical influence might add a little finesse to it. What do you say?”

The man smiles at your suggestion, watching you admire his book with genuine interest in your eyes, catching how you were skimming across every detail in tandem with your fingertips. He was tempted to read another passage aloud to you as requested, to gauge your reaction and, with a sliver of hopeful expectations, to see if you genuinely enjoyed the written arts as well. It would please him greatly if it were so. V dashed the fantasy when he remembered where he was standing and why.

V: “Another time, perhaps. We have a more **pressing** engagement.”

This made you frown, you looked away from the book to engage V directly. Your expression returns to that of a professional.

You: “Right.”

He turns to face you completely, looking down at you with those green eyes of his. Despite his youthful features, the way V speaks, his movements, his eyes- all depict that of an old soul. It made you want to learn more about him. You made a silent vow to ask him if he would concede to this after the job despite what he just said, suggesting that perhaps you two can form some sort of bond when all was said and done. For now, however, he was right. You had a job to do. Looking back towards the demon tree, you already gauge that scaling the thing was going to be a long evening.

You: “Let’s go kill some demons.”

He hums in agreement and follows behind you as you both walked to rejoin Dante, Lady, and Trish. You did not know what awaited you within but was determined to meet it. As everyone said before, you were damn good at your job. _Devil hunting is in your blood, afterall._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, we’ve reached the tree!! The next part will follow the game plot, then after will focus on V and the reader. But first, wanted to drop some more water on the seed of V’s and the reader’s relationship as well as cast a bit of light on another plant that has already been growing before the former was rooted. The reader’s and Dante’s past. Confused? Everything will come into complete circle eventually, hope you like the hints ^^. Thanks for taking the time to read this~


	7. Turning Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The crew make their way inside the Qliphoth, but one member of the company turns back, turning heads before the real journey begins._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184850245844/no-name-7
> 
> You will recognize some of the dialogue from the game itself so that’s always a nice throwback to see ^^

Griffon: “So, a devil hunter that rivals Dante, huh? How come I never heard of ya?”

You: “Probably because you were too busy hiding in V’s shadow. Er, I mean, ink.”

While on the trek to enter the Qliphoth, the demon decided to make an appearance, emerging from V’s tattoos without warning. Suffice to say, the reactions from your companions were hilarious, namely when Dante and Lady readied their guns at the blue bird. Poor Griffon nearly squawked back to his master while V himself remained quite calm. You had to explain to them of V’s abilities and although they were wary still, they withdrew their weapons much to the bird’s relief. You couldn’t help but laugh the entire time and V himself was amused. Now the bird flew comfortably beside V, if not a little ways behind him.

You: “Never really paraded myself around after finishing jobs. Reputation was the one thing I didn’t want building up in this line of work.”

V: “And why is that?”

Dante: “Because then I wouldn’t have been able to keep her all to myself. Isn’t that, right?”

Dante inserted himself between you and V whilst you were walking. Considering you two were right next to each other, it was a tight squeeze with Dante bumping shoulders with you. Fairly certain he did this on purpose. With a roll of your eyes, you shove the trench-coated man to walk ahead of you.

You: “ **Because** it’s better for me to lie low. Demons, they tend to get rather aggressive towards people like me.”

V: “Humans?”

You: “S-”

The sound of deep rumbling interrupts you, before you and the crew, the demon tree splits in the middle right in front of you all and spreads its bark open wide. It felt as if this monstrous tree had a mind of its own and it was inviting you all in. _That’s ominous…_  
.  
.  
.  
Inside of the Qliphoth was a sight just as menacing as the outside. There was no real structure to this place, no rules, nothing about it made sense only that everything from the walls to ground you walked upon felt alive and oozed with sinister energy. Instinctively, you brushed your hand against the silver tool of your belt. What awaits you here, you wonder.

Dante: “Feast your eyes, ladies, gent, and…bird.”

Griffon: “Caw?”

Dante: “This shithole is more or less what hell looks like in a nutshell- er, tree.”

Lady: “Oh, it stinks in here.”

Dante. “I know, smells like hot garbage.”

You: “Remind you of anything?”

Dante: “I’ll have you know, I’ve kept the old place in perfect condition since you left.  
”  
You: “Dante, I was **just** there.”

Dante: “And not a single thing has moved. See? Perfect.”

A sigh escapes you along with a growing headache. You were about to make another quip when you saw V stop a little ways behind you, a serious expression on his handsome face. His eyes took in the Qliphoth with a grim frown.

You: “V…?”

V: “This is far worse than I thought.”

Dante: “There’s no crime in turning tail, V. These things might be a little too much for ya.”

You casted a sideways glare towards Dante for his words. Ever since Dante was introduced to V, he’s been nothing but rude. The man has always had poor manners, portraying himself as one above the need to show courtesy, but to V, he’s been especially tactless. Your growing fondness for V aside, he’s still a client that hired Dante, he at least deserves some respect. As you were about to point this out, V spoke.

V: “You’re right. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

This took you off-guard. You looked at V incredulously. Despite his looks, you were confident that he is able to hold his own in a fight despite not once actually seeing him in combat. Griffon who was right beside him seemed mildly surprised himself at his master’s words.

Griffon: “Wha, wha- what? Whoa. _My, my, V._ All the way down here, and turning tail, really? Huh?”

V: “One must always have an insurance policy.”

The man was already walking away from the group, towards the way you all came. All you could see was the leather of his coat and the back of his head. Truthfully, the fact that he was just up and leaving left a sinking feeling, yet your intuition told you that he must have a good reason. _Or perhaps you’re growing soft…_

Lady: “Who was that guy? Can’t believe he just ran…”

Dante: “No one special. C’mon, let’s go clean up thi-”

You ignored Dante’s command entirely to run up to V, disregarding the devil hunter calling after you. He must have heard your approaching footsteps as V stops in his tracks to turn to you. He appeared genuinely surprised to see you go back for him, curious to the reason behind your action.

You: “Hey. Is everything okay, V?”

The look on his face, he seemed to have expected you, or anyone truly, to ask about his wellbeing. The situation just didn’t seem to call for it especially since it was he that walked away from you without so much as a second glance. But it seems that you have proven to him to be full of surprises.

V: “If you and Dante succeed, _it will be._ But this enemy is not one to be trifled with. I have to be certain that victory is absolute.”

You: “ _The insurance policy_.”

V: “Correct.”

He begins to walk once more before he abruptly stops to spare another turn of his head to your direction. His green eyes skimmed across your face before settling in your anticipating gaze.

V: “I would like to take a moment to speak with you again. Just the two of us, before-”

The tattooed man cuts himself off before facing away from you completely. He spoke you name over his shoulder. It was the second time he addressed you directly and the sound felt as if he was still testing the waters, tasting your name on his tongue. His silken voice came out as a gravelly whisper that almost made the skin of your neck and wheels heat ever so slightly. You attempted to peg it down to the humidity within the demon tree. Deep down, however, you knew the truth.

V: “It has only been a few days, yet it feels like I can trust you.”

You: “Yeah… I’d like it if you can.”

V: “Is it truly that simple?”

You: “If you allow it to be. Sure.”

Your eyes could be playing tricks on you but you could have sworn that he offered you a side glance over his shoulder, a ghost of a gentle smile graced his features. But he turned back too fast for you to confirm this.

V: “ _Don’t die_. **Win**. I shall return soon.”

You wanted to ask him where he was going, what was going on through his head, _what he was about to say before he stopped himself_ , but he was already walking and you found your nerve too late. It was clear to you that the man knew more than he let on. It left a feeling as ominous as the atmosphere around you. Despite this, you truly hoped that you will see V again before the job is done. And you hoped that you would be able to see him after too. But first, you had a job to do and turned to rejoin the others who stood waiting for you. The ladies seemed itching for a good fight glancing out towards what may very well be hordes of demons waiting within this dangerous place while Dante himself was looking at you with a dangerous expression. Everyone seemed on edge and there was more yet to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright next part should be the fight with Urizen along with the reveal of the reader’s past as well as her past relationship with Dante. After that, the real romance begins. Thanks again for your time and patience with this growing series ^^ Hope you have a wonderful day!


	8. Lingering Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Dante and you have a brief heart-to-heart as you journey within the Qliphoth. Your past comes back to haunt you and after swearing off devil hunting for good, you pick up your weapon once again against the demon king.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/184960435364/an-this-is-a-v-x-femreader-based-on-an-imagine

Dante: “Morrison said you and V met before. Where did you find that guy? On the street?”

You: “Yep. Clothed him, fed him, put a roof over his head for the night. He was an excellent house guest.”

Dante: “Now’s not the time for jokes, Neff.”

You: “I wasn’t joking, Dante. What does it matter to you, anyway?”

Somehow Lady and Trish managed to get ahead, leaving you to make the journey to the target with Dante alone. And truthfully, you were not enjoying it one bit. It seemed the man was bent on getting under your skin at every waking moment whether you two were just walking around the hellish maze that is the demon tree or fighting ravenous hordes of relentless monsters simply by talking.

Dante: “It doesn’t. I’m just saying that you need to be careful around him.”

You: “I don’t like what you’re implying. It’s almost like you suspect there’s something between me and V.”

Dante: “Ha. It doesn’t take a genius to know he steals glances at you. It’s a guy thing and you’re…”

You glance over at him, waiting for his answer in challenge with a hand on your hip. The man was facing you, the way you were looking at him was making him try to come up with words that wouldn’t provoke you.

You: “ _I’m?_ ”

He throws both of his hands up in defeat before cocking them on his hips, he turns his head away from you now in some random direction.

Dante: “You. You’re you. That’s it.”

Shaking your head, you sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose. He was tiptoeing, a terrible habit of his when he loathes to admit something. The way he was speaking, it was almost like he was jealous. Truthfully, you felt that he had no right to be.

You: “Look, Dante. V and I just met the other day. Even if there was **something** …”

With a finger, you poke at his chest once for emphasis before walking past him in a huff.

You: “Well, that’s just none of your damn business. Isn’t it?”

Intent on leaving it at that, you continue walking forward towards the area where the other girls were fighting. Dante stood in place for a moment before calling back to you.

Dante: “You know, we never spoke about it. _That day you left_.”

Flashes of the moment you walked through the doors of Devil May Cry for what you thought was the last time all those years ago began to sting the ends of your eyes. The look on Dante’s face, the angry exchange between you both, how betrayed you felt - all came flooding back. You had to bite your own tongue to will away the tears.

You: “What’s there to talk about? What’s done is done. **My sister is dead**. _End of story_.”

Only you truly wished it was. However, the story keeps replaying in your head, like it was nagging for you to finish it. But honestly, you didn’t want to. Afraid of closing that book forever, yet just as afraid of picking it back up again. So you did what you did, you let it be. You had hoped Dante would do the same, the story didn’t really include him anyways, yet the man somehow finds a way to make himself integral in every tale. This you’ve learned.

.  
.  
.

_“You son of a bitch, I told you to wait!”_

_“We were out of time. Your sister told me-”_

_“I don’t care what she told you. That wasn’t part of our plan, Dante! You didn’t listen to me!”_

_“Both of you couldn’t get out of it alive so I had a choice to-”_

_**SLAP!** _

_“That wasn’t your choice to make!”_

_“Well, I made it anyway! I chose you. No matter how you look at it, it will always be you.”_

That moment of anger and bitter pain was the only memory that was vividly fresh in your mind. You dared not think further back than that, to the past that led to you leaving Dante and _Devil May Cry_ and devil hunting behind. That day was the last day that you used your weapon which now hung as a silver piece on your belt. You didn’t think you would be using it again so soon and alongside the man you didn’t want to see again period.  
Eventually the two of you reached what appeared to be a double set of doors. In between the cracks, you can barely see a grotesque-looking monster…sitting on a throne? This must be the demon V spoke about and the one that had Dante on edge the moment he heard his name. _Vergil._

You: “We’re here. Are you ready?”

You glance over at the legendary devil hunter who usually when it comes to jobs we just waltz right in not giving a crap. Yet right now, right here beside you, he’s still. Like a statue, staring at the doors.

You: “Hey, what’s going on with you?”

Dante: “…I wanna ask you a favor. Sort of.”

You: “Huh?”

Dante: “If we beat Ver… this _demon king_ , you have my permission to kill him.”

You: “Okay… and why does **that** require your permission?”

Dante: “This way… you and me, we’re even.”

This shocks you into silence. Already your mind was speculating, reeling over about Dante, a man who prides himself on calling all the shots, prides on being a solo player, conceding this one action to you. You wanted to ask him, to elaborate further on what the hell he meant, but the legendary devil hunter was already through the twin doors, squaring his shoulders for the big fight. When you followed behind, you first spotted Lady and Trish rolling along the ground. It looks like they were beaten pretty bad and that alone began to bubble a growing anger inside you. This place was already setting you on edge and the greatest source of that anxiety was sitting before you all.

 _So this was the “demon king” that had even Dante garner the serious look?_ By appearance, he, assuming it’s a he, fit the word terrifying by every definition. Dante traipsed across the floor before the demon as if he was performing in a play.

Dante: “Well, well… O king of stench and filth. I’m impressed! Those are two of the most badass women in the world. Well, behind my sweetheart over here.”

He looks at you over his shoulder to wink at you. You had to roll your eyes and will yourself not to like over his words. His infamous monologue was already underway and he didn’t strike nor was he struck first this time. Must be a new record.

Dante: “And I know only one other guy that can defeat ‘em…”

The shift in his voice was evident along with the sudden change of mood in the air. Dante was staring down at the grotesque monster sitting on the throne, the latter of which appeared entirely unamused the entire time. You were almost certain that you were looking at a statue until Dante spoke a single word that made him tilt his head from the palm of his hand.

Dante: “Jackpot.”

Demon King: “ _Dante..._ ”

 _It speaks._ Prior to reaching at this point, you had your special arm tucked away on your belt, fighting the demons alongside Dante with nothing but a revolver. It wasn’t meant to show off, but to save as much of your energy as possible, not wishing to underestimate this powerful evil. Now that you were there, it was time. You remove the silver cylinder from your belt and lay it horizontally on the palm of your hand. By your will, it begins to glow and in and instant, it expands to a long staff. Across the surface were runic patterns of white and gold atop the silver that emitted a faint glow of energy. To grab a good feel for it once again, you twirled the staff in your hands, each spin releasing a burst of light.

The demon king moved again, this time facing you. It was hard to get a read of his expression, but you assumed that he did not like your presence one bit. Afterall, you were the last and he speaks that with venom in every syllable.

Demon King: “ **Nephilim**.”

_The last of a kind that the demons have feared and hated the most._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part is the fight that will lead to Nero’s entrance to this series. Which means that V will also make an appearance :) Thank you again, your your unwavering support and patience.
> 
> This chapter I wanted to focus more on the reader and further into your relationship with Dante, finally opening a part of your past that created a wedge between you two. I also wanted to shout out to the concept of Nephilim introduced in the reboot, only this time I am taking more from judeo-christian lore and develop the reader into a badass character that can fit in with the DMC crew succinctly. Yeah, you’re a badass. Hope you like it ^^


	9. Deadweight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **You and Dante fight the demon lord and are overwhelmed by his monstrous strength.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/185246447559/no-name-9-an-took-a-break-to-recover-from

The demon lord actually moved upon his throne, sitting upright at the sight of your weapon. ****

 **Nephilim.** That was what he called you and within those deep, menacing eyes was a look that you can only discern as malice.

Demon Lord: “I had thought your kind slaughtered to extinction.”

You: “You and me both. Why don’t you get off that seat so we can mull over it together?”

Dante: “Ooh. I like the sound of that. Come on, big guy. We got some choice words for you.”

The red coat hunter claps his hands, goading the demon to rise from his seat and as expected, he did not. Still, the demon lord appeared unamused by yours and Dante’s taunts.

Demon Lord: “Insolence. Nephilim or not, you’re still powerless against me. Human blood flows through your veins. As long as this truth stands, you will be nothing but food for the Qliphoth.”

You: “Yeah, we’re going to have to do a rain check on that. Being a meal is not on my schedule this week.”

Demon Lord: “Return to ash, like your kin before you.”

He raises his hand and above him, two tremendous spheres of flames ignite out of thin air. The heat felt incredibly unbearable from even where you stood and braced yourself. With a flick of his wrist, the demon lord sends the flames towards you and Dante. The both of you leaped out of the way in time, but the impact left an immense tremor that made the entire Qliphoth shake.

You turn your head at the sound of gunfire and sure enough the legendary devil hunter was hard at work, whipping out both Ebony and Ivory pistols to rain their target with a barrage of bullets, closing the distance between them step-by-step. The demon did not even try to block his offensive as a strange crystalline object immediately appears, absorbing the ammo without show much as suffering a scratch. Despite his guns having no clear effect, Dante continues to fire without any sign of lifting his fingers from the trigger.

Dante: “Neff!”

He calls out to you without glancing your way and you took this as your cue. While he appeared to draw the demon’s attention, you dashed into actions. Your staff resonated with divine power, glowing brighter the closer you were to the target. It appears that the demon lord was expecting this as a single glance in your direction summoned above a rain of blue shards above. The shards cast a light below indicating where they would land which allowed to be mindful of how you moved. With swiftness, you managed to dodge the attack, your feet reaching the pool that surrounded the foot of the demon’s throne. With a wave of his hand, two roots whipped forth from the demon’s back, diving to pierce right through you. You were forced to switch to a defensive stance, bringing your staff in front of you to block them. The runes of your weapon glow, creating a white barrier around you. The roots singed upon impact, doing damage but you were not sure if it affected the demon lord. Regardless, the attack knocked you back and further away from the throne. Dante ceased his firing to leap to your side. He withdraws his guns to whip out his Rebellion.

Dante: “Looks like this one won’t be as clean cut to take down as the rest.”

You: “Tsk.”

You lift your silver staff, eyeing between it and the demon lord. The long roots were now swaying back and forth, waiting to attack once again. You can see their tips have burned black but nothing else. The demon lord inspects the damage from his seat with full interest.

Demon Lord: “That weapon of yours…is incomplete. Weak, despite the divine power it holds. It does not recognize you as its master.”

This ticks you off. _You heard something like this before._ And the insatiable need to prove those words wrong resulted in your failure and you forced yourself to retire from fighting. _Not this time._

You: “Dante.”

The man turns his head to you, catching the indisputable fury burning in your eyes. He nods.

Dante: “Right.”

He readies his sword on his hands, leaning his body to a stance which you follow with a twirl of your staff.

Dante: “We got this.”  
.  
.  
.  
By now, V knew that Nero has reached Urizen. In his mind, he had hoped that the boy was too late. That the demon lord was already defeated by yours and Dante’s hands. He thinks this in hopes that you were still alive and safe. V wanted to take you with him when he withdrew to fetch the young devil hunter, but knew that such a thing would not go unnoticed by the others, especially Dante whom he easily deduced was rather fixated with you and in turn did not take to him kindly. You insisted that it was due to your shared comraderie in the past but V knew better. Dante is a man, afterall, and you…well, you are _quite something_. And that’s why V was so eager to return to the Qliphoth, approaching the doors to the demon lord’s throne room.

He can hear the rev of Nero’s weapon along with his frustrated grunts, suggesting that the young hunter was having a difficult time. He heard nothing else besides this and it gripped terribly at V’s heart. Did you and Dante fall?

Without a second thought, V bursted through the doors in time to see Nero collapsing before him. The sight he beheld brought about a great fear within the tattooed man. Each and every single person he hired to fight the demon lord now laid on the ground. Dante, Trish, Lady, Nero…and you. You were lying facefirst on the ground as well, right beside Dante. A small silver cylinder right above your head.

Griffon: “This isn’t good!”

The demon lord was still seated on his throne, it was hard to decipher his expressions, but V can feel that he was bored. Unfazed by the futile attempts to fell him, power radiating from his form. It shook V to the core at how powerless he felt at that moment, so lost in his dazed despair that he did not register the roots snaking forth from the demon’s back and with a flick of his colossal wrist, they fly towards you and Nero. V can hear Griffon screeching your name, but the man was frozen in place, can only watch in terror as the roots’ sharp ends hurl to run you through and end your life in a blink, but suddenly they halted and retreated back to their master. V shook his head, pulling himself from his reverie to register what happened. His green eyes spy Dante who was back up on his feet, his body hunched slightly likely due from injuries but his serious expression was telling.

Dante: “Round two.”

The red-coated hunter spreads his arms wide and he is suddenly wreathed in flame-like energy surging from within his being. His appearance changes drastically to where he now had little to no trait that would discern him as human. His demonic form. V watched in awe at the power that resonated within Dante, but he had to think to himself: _will it be enough?_ As if hearing that question aloud, Dante stretches out his devil wings and dashed forward, flying towards the demon lord with his rebellion in hand. His mighty swing comes into contact with the crystal that has been protecting the demon from the beginning, the clash of metal and shard sparking rings that echoed throughout the Qliphoth. The demon lord watches the exchange, but made no move to simply fight back. This was not a good sign and Dante knew that.

The surge of Dante’s power roused you back to consciousness and you groggily brought yourself up to your knees and palm of your hands. You look up and was shocked at Dante’s appearance. Very rarely did you see Dante in his devil form and knew that things have gotten quite serious for him to use it.

You: “Dante!”

The half-demon looks at you over his shoulder.

Dante: “Neff, you gotta go!”

You: “What? Are you insane!?”

Dante: “You can’t beat him. He’ll kill you if you stay.”

You scramble to your feet, cylinder in hand and shook away the dizziness that swirled in your head painfully. Your breathing was ragged and your body worn, but you were not going to let that affect you.

You: “I’m not leaving you here!”

Dante: “Damn it, woman.”

The devil hunter’s eyes move past you to spot a certain tattooed man. V, he looked like he was frozen in place, overwhelmed by the sight of each of his companions falling at the hands of the demon lord’s monstrous might. He couldn’t have asked for a worse person to call for help, but Dante was desperate as he sees you and Nero who have stood back up and looked ready to jump in to fight once again.

Dante: “V, get them out of here. This is a bad move!”

Nero: “I can still fight!”

Dante: “Nero, go! You’re just deadweight!”

V’s green eyes landed on you immediately, you who went back on your feet ready to engage the demon once more and it seemed to have snapped something within him. _Dante was right. V couldn’t let you die here._ The man summons both Griffon and Shadow to pull Nero back, while he himself held you against him, his cane pressed across your chest to prevent you from dashing forward to certain death, dragging you backwards along with him.

You: “Let me go!”

V: “Come on. We can’t stay here, he’s far stronger than we ever could have imagined.”

You: “Dante!”

Everything felt like it was falling apart. Literally. Without warning, the Qliphoth was shaking violently, the merciless quakes caused the structures above to break and rocks of great sizes fell around you all. V was careful to guide you both out of the throne room despite your struggling, doing to his damned to to ensure neither of your were caved in. You didn’t think of that though and had your eyes on the man you were once very close to.

The legendary devil hunter, who with all of his empowered strength used to break through the demon lord’s defenses, spared one last glance at you. His glowing eyes held the stare of a man who was losing, yet amidst that fear was a determination. You know because you had the same exact expression on that day. So you were loathe to what he was going to say next as he called out your name.

Dante: “I’m sorry…”

Rubble fell from above, knocking you and V back, further away from Dante. Your head came into contact with one of the rocks hard. The last thing you saw was Dante’s form disappearing before your eyes as the rocks blocked your vision and a single tear falling down your cheek before your world turned black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot, geez! This chapter was hard. I can’t do action scenes to save my life and had to rewrite this a few times. Still, so glad to get it out of the way as the next chapter onwards will now focus on the romance and developing relationship between you and V :) Thanks for sticking around.


	10. I’m Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader wakes up to find herself back at home. The last thing she remembers was the fight against the demon lord and a certain someone comes to reprise her of the events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/185427012354/an-your-usual-friendly-reminder-that-you-can
> 
> Check that out for the gifs. Also, a friendly heads up that this chapter is quite lengthy. A bit of Dante in the beginning and V at the end.

You were walking the streets of Redgrave City. Honestly, as beautiful as the city looked, the downtown area left nothing to be admired. It was especially so for the building you stood before. It looked worn down and ready to collapse. In fact, it judging my past work you have spotted, it already has…quite a few times.

You: “This is the office of the legendary devil hunter?”

Frankly, you were not impressed but at the moment, you were desperate. Gulping down your pride, you pushed yourself through the doubleset doors. The inside was even worse than the outside. The office was a complete mess, cigarette butts, torn and worn out paper, along with what you can tell to be pizza boxes littered the place. The place was poorly lit and it was so unbearably stuff, you were finding it difficult to get a good breath of air the longer you stood inside.

???: “Sorry, office is closed. Come around whenever I feel like opening it back up again.”

A voice pulls from your growing disgust for the office long enough to direct your attention to a man seated behind a large, wooden table at the far end across from you. He had white hair, something you have not seen amongst the local folk at all since you’ve been here, and wore a red leather coat. He had his head down, not facing you at all, hunching over and eyes cast down beneath him. His arms would fidget which made you assume he was fiddling with something down there. _How rude._

You: “You speak to all of your customers like this?”

He looks up, eyes widening slightly at the sight of you. You can feel his gaze slowly take in your form appreciatively, his eyes raking up and down and up again until he met your eyes. He leans back into his seat and offers you a charming smile.

Dante: “Not unless they look like you. Welcome to _Devil May Cry_.”

As he sat back up, his hands finally lifted from behind the desk. One ruffled back his hair although the long locks fell to sweep to the side of his blue eyes and the other set down upon the wood a rubik’s cube. _He was playing with a toy this entire time!?_

With a roll of your eyes and a slight tinge on your cheeks, you explain to Dante the job in hand. The entire time you spoke, the legendary devil hunter not once took his eyes off of you.

Dante: “So, got a name to match that pretty face?”

You tell him and he tests your name on his tongue. You could have been imagining it but it felt like he was savoring the taste of your name and it stirred you uncomfortably. You were warned ahead of time that the legendary devil hunter can be rather… _forward._

You: “For a son of Sparda, you’re not quite what I expected.”

For a moment, you thought his smile falter slightly at the mention of his father, but it was fleeting and the ends of his lips tug upwards in a smolder.

Dante: “And you don’t look like the kind of gal with demon problems. Which I assume is what you’re here for.”

You: “It’s…not a demon problem, per se. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re somehow in the mix. I have a sister-”

Dante: “Does she look like you?”

You glared at him.

You: “ **She** went missing three days ago and was last spotted in this city. I need your help to find her and bring her back home.”

The man leaned further back in his chair to lift his feet and stack them atop the desk, his arms crossed and his expression suggesting that he was positively unimpressed.

Dante: “Sounds like a job for the cops.”

You: “Normally, I would agree but being a nephilim attracts all sorts of unwanted attention. Normal humans won’t be able to handle what I…we will be dealing with.”

His brows furrow to a harsh line, his crystal blue eyes lit up with curiosity.

Dante: “The hell is a **nephilim**?”

_GASP!_

Your eyes open, your heart pounding in your chest. You were laying on something soft and familiar. Your bed. As your eyes adjust and your breathing steadies, you sit up and feel your sheets pool down to your lap. Your room. _How did you get here?_ The last thing you remembered was entering the Qliphoth with Dante and the others.

_Dante…_

The sound of you door clicking open made you lift your head from your thoughts.

You: “Dante?”

The door stops in its swing, a moment passes and it gives way completely. The one who stood there was not Dante. _It was V._ He was not wearing his coat, instead garnering a black shirt and sweats, very similar to the clothes you gave him when you first took him in. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

You: “V… I’m sorry, I thought you were-”

V: “It’s alright. He was technically the last person you saw before you were knocked out, afterall.”

The man lets himself into your room, in his hands was a tray with a plate of food and a glass of juice on the side. He slowly makes his way to your bed and carefully sets the tray by your side.

V: “Eat. You must be famished.”

Right as he said this, your stomach grumbles loudly. A blush reddens your cheeks in embarrassment and your hands quickly moved to grab the utensils and dig into the warm food made for you. The taste was delicious and you found yourself digging in faster than normal. _He was right, guess you were famished._ V watches you devour the meal he prepared ravenously, a hint of a smile on his face at your appetite. The moment felt rather uplifting in a way, but he knew what was to come next. As you finally began to slow down, gulping down a bite, you looked at him.

You: “V, what happened?”

The man sighs, his head bowing down slightly at the ground as he took a seat on the bed. His back was facing you. None of these were good signs.

V: “After we were defeated by Urizen…”

 _Urizen? Was that the demon lord’s name?_ You could have sworn it was something else. Struggle as you could to remember what it was though, it was all hazy. You can only really recall the battle, Dante, and pain of all sorts coursing through you that night.

V: “The demon lord made his next move. He commanded the Qliphoth to spread its routes throughout the city. These demonic roots then began to drain the blood of the human citizens as is its purpose. Many lives were lost that night and the numbers grow each day. You have been unconscious the entire time since then. A piece of the tree fell hard on your head. I am sorry, I wasn’t fast enough to stop that.”

_Oh, god._

You: “H-How long have I been out?”

V: “…About three days.”

You: “Three days?!”

You were absolutely shocked. That was simply way too long. You dreaded at the thought of what the city and the people have suffered while you were out, how much was lost. Judging by what V said, it seems like things have gotten worse since you were last awake but a nagging question etches to the front of your thoughts.

You: “Where’s Dante? What happened to him? Trish? Lady? There was another guy too, right?”

V: “The boy Nero is fine. He is currently helping the remaining survivors to a safe haven.“

 _Survivors. Remaining._ These words made you feel sick to your stomach and it only worsened when V turned slightly to glance at you over his shoulder. He seemed to be struggling to speak about this and casted his gaze down from your eyes once more.

V: “I don’t know what happened to the others. But… I believe that none of them live.”

That made your heart drop.

You: “W-What makes you say that? Did you try looking for them?”

The man nods carefully before stretching his hand out to give a full display of tattoos that adorn his arm.

V: “My power is not limited to solely summoning and commanding the demons I made contracts with. I can also detect demonic presences, Dante, although only half, amongst them. I cannot account for Lady’s fate, but given that I have had no luck searching for Dante or Trish, it would only suggest that they-”

You: “Stop. Just stop, please.”

You couldn’t hear more, your plea so soft and defeated. You didn’t dare look at V, not after what he just said. There was virtually no hope. No hope of the others…of Dante…

“I’m sorry.”

Those were the last words he said to you and with it a great weight that rests painfully on your heart. It spoke volumes. It showed his regret of what happened between you two. Of the loss of your sister and his involvement. And it broke you…it broke you because those were the exact same words that you were going to tell him. Of how you treated him. Of how you never truly blamed him for what happened. But now, you’ll never get that chance. Even now as you hear those words again, not from Dante’s lips or your own, but from V himself. The man who sat beside you now. He turned himself completely to face you, a deep frown on his face that reflected his condolences of your loss. It was all coming down on you now and you did nothing to hide the tears that fell down your face.

Your body wracked and your voice choked into sobs, eyes completely shut from the pain. You now know why you dreamt that memory of your first time meeting Dante. Your mind was trying to turn back the clock, to bring you back to where it all started for you, creating a false hope that if you somehow woke up there, things could be different. But it cannot be. It was only a dream. This right now is real. You weren’t asleep. And the man you once called your friend was gone. And you couldn’t save him. As you cried, you felt arms wrap around your body to carefully pull you closer towards warmth in attempts to soothe your sorrows.

V was holding you, so gently too, but you were too far gone in your grief to notice and instead you instinctually sink closer in his embrace. V himself felt out of his element as he held you in his arms. He remembers the feeling of loss and mourning all too well, but knew nothing of how to cope with it. Back then, he had no one to comfort him. Yet somehow, he felt compelled to comfort you, perhaps if not to have you suffer the same loneliness he was forced to bare with. At the thought, he rubs your back with one hand, and pulls you closer with the other. V felt your body relax slightly to his touch and it was then did he make his decision.

V: “ _When I from black and she from white cloud free, I’ll shade her from the heat till she can bear…_ ”

He was reciting to you, smoothly and softly. The deepness of his voice lulling the anguish that continuously drowned your heart in grief. Yet ever slowly, V was pulling you up. Eventually your breathing steadied and you fell asleep in his arms. V continued to speak to you and hold you like this for a while longer until he then set you back down on your bed, lifting the sheets to tuck you in before leaving your side. The man took one more look at you, at the peace on your face. He dreads that this will be the only time you will ever feel this calmness and resolved to stay by your side and help you through these difficult times. _For now._ V closes the door, you name pasts his lips even though he knew you could not hear him.

V: “I’m sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I used one of my imagines for the beginning of this piece. Where the reader meets Dante for the first time. Thought it would be a cool shoutout to my other works ;)
> 
> Fun fact 2: This chapter made me very sad ;(


	11. What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The reader and V discuss their next course of action but some things are brought up that the reader was not prepared to hear.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr here: https://zer0pm.tumblr.com/post/185812033824/pairing-v-x-femreader-an-for-those-just-tuning

When you awoke next, it was already dark. Few stars sprinkled the sky, leaving a wary and eerie feeling impossible to shake. How bad was it outside?

V was patient with you, giving you the space and time to shower and gather your thoughts. Eventually, you left your room to sit beside him in your kitchen. V was the first to speak.

V: “We will need to discuss our next course of action. Urizen grows stronger by the day, using the Qliphoth to sap the blood of the innocent of this city and empower him.”

His eyes cast over to the window. Even with the city being overrun by demons, the backup lights for the streets illuminated the city giving you both a view from your kitchen window.

V: “And it will not simply end with Red Grave. The Qliphoth’s roots will spread far until there is no life left to take. If it remains this way for too long, demons alone will walk this world.”

It sounded like a cliche from an action movie, but you understand all too well the severity of his words. You nod.

You: “So then, what do we do?”

V: “ **We** bide our time. Rest. Recuperate. Become stronger.”

He holds out his hand on the table, stares into his open palm before clenching it tightly.

V: “And we try again.”

You had to shake your head at this. Doubt hanging onto your senses.

You: “What makes you think we can win? Dante, he might have seemed like an arrogant ass, but he really was **the best** at what he did. Lady and Trish? They fought beside him, he called them _the most badass women in the world._ ”

You felt your own hands tighten to a close painfully, stress pounding against your heart once more.

You: “What do we have, V?”

He glances over at you considerably.

V: “We have **you**.”

That answer shook you, taking you off guard. You lost against the demon lord once already. Barely made it out with your life. _Why would V think… unless-_

You: “…You know.”

V: “ **Yes**. I know what you are.”

He reaches into his pocket and places something familiar before you. A silver cylinder. _Your weapon._

V: “When we first met, you had a… presence about you. You invoked a feeling within me I couldn’t shake. At first, I thought…”

V glanced up towards you beneath his dark lashes. An unreadable emotion in his deep green eyes. A meaningful pause and he looks back down at the table, his focus now turned on the cylinder.

V: “ **That** explained everything.”

For a moment, he looked as if he meant to say something else. It left a downtrodden feeling in your otherwise dismal mood as he continued to speak.

V: “You’re a **nephilim**. The spawn of a divine emissary and a human, a union considered a great sin among the ange-”

You: “You don’t need to go into detail. I know all about my heritage. The hard way.”

Your words cause his lips to thin to a line. It was obvious to him that this was a hard conversation to have with you. To bring up pieces about you and your past that you were adamant to keep to yourself. He wanted to tread carefully or dismiss it entirely in favor of easing you, but the situation did not demand such a luxury.

V: “Pardon me. I did not mean to offend you. You know then why you are the best equipped to defeat Urizen.”  
You shook your head.

You: “V, I lost. Hard. Urizen, or whatever you call him, didn’t even get up from his seat when he threw me to the ground like a rag doll. There’s no way I can beat him.”

V: “Not how you are now.”

You: “What does that even mean? What are you trying to say, V?”

V: “Ascend.”

Your heart drops at this word.

You: “….W-What?”

His eyes meet yours, he appeared harsh now, a clear contrast from the softness of his usual demeanor.

V: “ **Ascend**.”

He picks up the cylinder in his hand and brings it in front of your face. You immediately snatch it from his hand and got up from your seat, stomping towards your living room. Your ears pick up V’s steps not too far behind you. Your body whips around to face him.

You: “How do you know so much about this?”

V: “You’re ignoring the point.”

You: “And you’re evading the question!”

V: “How I know doesn’t matter, what does is that we both know that it’s possible. That weapon in your hand is proof of that.”

He points at your cylinder and as a reflex you lift it between you two. You willed it not to extend but your defensive stance stopped V to stay where he stood, setting the distance between you two.

V: “What you possess is a powerful tool. But it is incomplete, and will continue to be so-”

You: “Because I’m only half of what it wants me to be.”

You sigh, bringing your hand back to cross your arms over your chest, your fist clenched around the weapon.

You: “I tried. Doing exactly that. To… _that word_.”

V: “Ascend.”

You: “Right… But my plan failed. And that day, I stopped devil hunting. Look, V. I understand what you want me to do. I want to defeat Urizen and save this city as much as you do. But it’s **not** possible for me.”

V: “It is.”

You: “And what makes you think it will be different this time around? Because you say so?”

V: “Because last time you didn’t know me.”

He approaches you slowly, and this time, you let him. The man keeps walking slowly until he is right in front of you and you had to crane your neck to look up at his. His expression has softened.

V: “I can’t tell you everything. I wish that I can. But it isn’t the right time yet.”

You feel his hand grasp yours to lift your fist between the small space between you two. You didn’t resist as he turned your hand so that your fingers can relax and reveal the silver cylinder on your palm. _Why can’t he tell you? How does he know so much about you yet you know so little about him? Is it truly possible? To become stronger?_

 _And succeed in that which you have failed?_ Failed to save Dante. Your sister.

V: “It will work. All I ask is that you trust me.”

You wanted so desperately to believe him, but you were conflicted and scared. As if sensing your doubt, V places his other hand on your shoulder, encouraging you to meet his eyes once more. He speaks your name, low and in a whisper.

V: “ _Trust me._ ”

Feeling your heart pound painfully in your chest, you pulled away from V’s hold to bring your hands over your chest. Your eyes close. A lot rides on you saying yes. And you already knew in your heart that you wouldn’t say no, not so long as there was a chance to save everyone in this city, in this world. But that was the case. It’s only a chance. And if you failed, all would be lost. And that frightened you more than anything. After what seemed like an eternity, you opened your eyes, looked at V, and took a deep breath.

You: “Okay. I’ll try again.”

V’s lips parted. It seemed like he wanted to say something, it was hard to read his face. It seemed to be a mix of relief and something else, as if you agreeing somehow…saddened him? It was not until much later that you understood.

V: “If we have an accord, then we can begin making preparations tomorrow. It’s getting rather late.”

You glance over at the clock on your wall and was nearly floored at the hour. You suppose that you didn’t really feel it as you slept for quite a long time but can imagine how exhausted V must be what with looking after you and everything else he did while you were resting.

You: “Of course. You can stay here, I don’t mind.”

V: “Thank you.”

With a grateful nod, V turns from you and makes his way to the hall towards the room you lent to him that first time he stayed with you. Before he disappeared behind the walls, you called out to him.

You: “V.”

He stops to glance back you over his shoulder.

You: “Thanks for saving me and taking care of me. I don’t think I said that yet…but I’m grateful.”

The man turns slightly so that he was looking at you fully, he wore a solemn face.

V: “Until tomorrow.”

With that, he leaves you to your thoughts. For the first time in a long time, you were scared of what the future will bring and hoped from the bottom of your heart that you truly can trust V.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this was hard too. Had to rewrite it a few times. First draft was a letter from Dante, the other was of V picking up some food for the reader when she wakes up to make her dinner, all sorts of things but it just didn’t feel right to what I wanted them to discuss. So I headed straight to it.
> 
> This build is so painfully slow and won’t lie, I just want the reader and V to kiss already dammit lol. But love takes time and they need to be friends first before anything else. Was hoping to add fluff here but didn’t want to drag it on too long. When they walk around Red Grave, there should be a bit of fluff. Thanks for reading :) and sorry for the slow updates ;-;


	12. Teaser/Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anime Expo is coming up this week so I dedicated most of my time prepping and cosplay crunching. I am going to try to release the next chapter of this story before I go but just in case, I wanted to let y’all wonderful readers know now that I love and appreciate the support for this story and hope you continue to enjoy it whenever I am able to update it. For now, here is a teaser of the next chapter, still a work in progress:

You: “You surprise me.

V: “Oh?”

You: “Yeah. You sorta came off as a loner when I first met you. Not lost but not exactly approachable either.”

V: “To be fair, I was naked and summoned demons to my side in what I assumed to be the suspicious part of town when you found me.”

You: “You got me there. Aha. Still, though, to see this... I wish I had woken up sooner. Gone with you. This is really something, V.”

You took a long look over to the city. The sun casted down an ethereal glow that made it all look heavenly, like this would be the place to stay forever. As if reading your thoughts, V stole a glance your way, his eyes roaming over your wistful expression. This is the first time in awhile you seemed so relaxed to him, the last being when you two had your first dinner together. He spoke without thinking.

V: “Would you like me to show you around?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this and that it gets you hyped for the next chapter!


End file.
